Reference services in the 21st century. The role of the information professional in the provision of reference services within a modern library environment.

By Ryan Scicluna Library Assistant

Outreach Department

University of Malta Library

Tel: 2340 2541

e-mail: ryan.scicluna@um.edu.mt

http://www.um.edu.mt/library

2

The debate for the revision of reference services has been going on for quite some time now.

Ford (1986) started it all in 1986 by suggesting the unthinkable and encouraging librarians

“to begin to explore alternatives and possibly to eliminate the reference desk”. As the years

progressed, and as a result of a few financial crises, more scholars adopted Ford‟s advice and

went on to argue in favour of new innovative cost-effective reference services away from the

physical desk and hinging more towards the digital realm. Some, like Sonntag and Palsson,

confidently asserted that “It‟s unquestionably time to eliminate the reference desk” (Sonntag

and Palsson, 2012). However, taking into consideration the persistence of a reference desk in

most academic libraries, the idea that reference services are no longer needed can‟t be further

from the truth. So why is it that on one hand we have librarians saying that a reference desk

has become obsolete while on the other patrons still require assistance from librarians? The

answer lies in the nature of the services offered.

Instead of looking at eliminating the reference desk, librarians are focusing on new tools and

services that can be offered to patrons in a digital age. In today‟s knowledge, society

librarians are discovering new cost-efficient tools to offer patrons services which are user

friendly and which yield a higher quality of results. The reference desk has not disappeared,

as some predicted, but instead, it changed its nature, growing digital as the years passed. This

resulted in the librarian‟s role evolving, with one of the aims becoming to close the gap

between its clients and information.

3

New Technologies = New Reference services

First and foremost librarians must define what their product is. The Reference and User

Services Association (RUSA) define reference work as encompassing more than just the

reference transaction: “reference work includes reference transactions and other activities that

involve the creation, management and assessment of information or research resources, tools

and services” (RUSA, 2008). With this definition in mind, librarians should be aware that the

nature of such resources can change over time. An example in particular is the increased

traffic and usage of online journals over the printed journals at the University of Malta

Library. This trend has allowed for the development of virtual reference services and it has

also created a new type of patron for the library: the digital library user. This new type of

customer makes use of the library without ever setting foot in the building. Librarians should

always focus on meeting their consumer‟s needs in an efficient manner so new trends and

changes in their patron‟s behaviour should all be noted and changes in services should reflect

such patterns.

In order to cater for such new concepts, libraries have been experimenting with a number of

social media, software, and mobile devices such as tablet applications, etc... This has given

libraries new and innovative ways on how to efficiently make use of the Web 2.0. This is

considered the next step of evolution for the internet. Social media, podcasts, tablet apps and

other features have been incorporated within the reference services in order to give patrons an

optimised library experience.

4

One such tool that ushered in a new way to look at reference services is the „Text a Librarian‟

reference service. Similar to the instant messaging function of most social networks,

integrating text messaging into mainstream reference services, allows librarians to answer

text messages or send text messages to patrons about library information in real-time even

when there is no connection to the internet. This tool is mostly used to answer patrons‟

questions in a quick and efficient way. This example of virtual reference can also be used to

market library services or events to patrons (Frantz and Tucker-Raymond, 2001). Mobile-

optimized catalogs, websites, reference services, and notices are just the beginning.

Academic libraries indicated the "ability to access databases" via mobile devices as the next

highest priority (54%), with "QR codes" and "library info/help" ranking as distant runners-up

(Thomas 2010).

As the internet becomes more popular and more essential, another form of reference service

is rapidly gaining popularity. Libraries making use of social networks such as Facebook and

YouTube have also started to “tweet”. Twitter has simply become yet another tool that gives

libraries a way to engage with their community (Fields, 2010). Several of the University of

British Columbia Library departments are using Twitter in a variety of ways. These include

“broadcasting library news/information” (Stuart, 2010), more specifically highlighting

programs and hours of opening while also announcing workshops and new online resources.

Special libraries “tweet” about new collections and also use it to collaborate, with the purpose

of increasing awareness, interaction with fellow library staff, and to strengthen awareness of

activities on a more individual level (Stuart, 2010).

5

Aside from the marketing aspect of it, Librarians at Koerner Library use their personal

Twitter accounts to “tweet” reference questions they answer during their work hours. They

tag their “tweets” so that they eventually all appear in a list of similar “tweets” creating a

dynamic FAQ list. This will also communicate the kind of research being performed at their

library. Even though the value of physical reference service is declining, by “tweeting”,

libraries can shed light on the forgotten role of research assistance of information while

engaging in modern forms of interaction with library users (Fields, 2010)

Other forms of virtual reference services can be found in the form of an online frequently

asked questions page. LibAnswers is a product that allows patrons to ask questions on the

library website and receive a direct answer. In 2011, librarians at Washington State

University (WSU) Pullman libraries embarked upon a project to increase and improve virtual

reference services. To help them out with the FAQs, they adopted the LibAnswers product

and integrated it within their website. Overall, this has helped them to increase their visibility

online and also the number of site visits between the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semester has

increased considerably (Nicol and Crook, 2012).

A feature that is available to libraries using social networks such as Google + and Facebook

is the online calendar. This tool can help to organise and manage events and also workshops

within the library context. This can also be useful to indicate to students specific times and

dates when particular specialised librarians would be available on premises if such employees

work on a part-time or reduce time basis.

6

The importance of social networking between the librarian and the patron can result into a

better and more personalised service. Having librarians write in their own blogs has had

positive effects on a number of libraries especially when it comes to commenting or

informing patrons about new research tools available through the library. These can take the

form of informative segments or also podcasts or videos. More and more libraries are making

use of YouTube and other video or image sharing websites such as Tumblr, to connect with

patrons and also offer real time updates of current library news.

So how does the librarian fit in with all these new technologies?

Answer: The Librarian as the information intermediary

With this influx of online reference services and the advent of new technologies constantly

being adapted for library services, an important point to mention is the inclusions of a fixed

set of information literacy skills which will help patrons navigate the new services with ease.

Librarians should be able to not only provide these services, but also instruct patrons by

giving them the skills necessary to make use of new technologies in the virtual reference

services.

The Librarian 2.0 has to be familiar with both library service and new emerging technologies

to help guide patrons in an ocean of information that the Web 2.0 has become. A key element

of this role has to be the training a librarian has to have on particular features. Knowing about

them is not enough. One must practice using them so that problems concerning a particular

aspect can be anticipated. Also knowing the limitations of such new technologies is essential

as usually the best form of search strategy is a mixture of services.

7

The librarian 2.0 is more of an information intermediary rather than a traditional librarian.

Knowledge about online services is a requirement in today‟s virtual reference services.

Knowing about online indexes and how to access them is still relevant, especially with the

overall increase of online material available on open access. Teaching patrons about the

limitations of search engines will help them make cross reference searches by adopting a

mixture of more than one search engine.

Inviting patrons to make use of RSS feeds and having RSS feeds on a library website can

benefit both the librarian and the patron. RSS subscribers are the people who subscribe to

read a published feed. Patrons equipped with this type of knowledge will benefit from

multiple subscriptions to multiple news groups. The reader can then customise the feeds to

his preferences which eventually will save a lot of time. RSS feeds can be read offline and

can be also streamlined so that a reader would get only the news he or she wants. A librarian

should know about these kinds of tools available and show patrons how to make use of them

even if they are not part of a specific library service.

Instructing researches about the different online databases and the development of wiki links

is crucial for different types of research. Online tools such as online dictionaries and

thesaurus are other tools that a librarian should know of. Also knowing how to conduct

searches using Boolean operators and conducting effective analytical search strategies are

part of the skills that librarians should introduce to patrons. Boolean operators make Web

searches more sophisticated, effective, and streamlined.

8

While Web 2.0 technologies do not have clear boundaries, they do follow a set of principles

and practices that O'Reilly describes as competencies. These competencies relate to issues of

power decentralization, dynamic content, rich user experiences, and collaboration (O'Reilly,

2005). The Librarian 2.0 should be all too familiar with these competencies as they are the

pillars by which one becomes information literate in the virtual reference scene.

Because of the participatory nature of Web 2.0, users are not only consumers, they are also

producers who have the ability to greatly influence the look, content, and creative energy of

the Web 2.0 tool they chose to use. This, in turn, creates a participatory culture (Jenkins,

2006) in which the user and producer interact with and influence one another. By taking the

role of the information intermediate, the librarian helps patrons to harness the collective

intelligence. According to Lévy (1997), collective intelligence is “a form of universally

distributed intelligence, constantly enhanced, coordinated in real time, and resulting in the

effective mobilization of skills”. It is based on the premise of the “wisdom of the crowds”, in

that many people are more knowledgeable than a select few. In relation to Web 2.0, Kroski

(2008), describes collective intelligence as “the theory that when a Website or network

accumulates a large number of people participating within it, the collective, or group,

becomes the filter for what is valuable”.

Web 2.0 is an environment of cooperation, rather than control, and therefore fosters the reuse

of content and technology from others (O'Reilly, 2005). The role of the information

intermediate is to help others gain access to this knowledge so that they can in time create

additional content and knowledge for others to use and share. It is important to point out

however, that the copyright law should be respected and proper referencing and credit should

be given to information or ideas used in one‟s research.

9

It is thus imperative that with the increase of so many available sources of information online,

the librarian should be aware of what is on public access networks and what isn‟t. A general

understanding of legal issues would benefit the librarian if he or she notices patrons making

use of sources online.

All of the mentioned skills and abilities have changed the role of the librarian into a more

mediatory one. Now a-days, it is less about a question of „where to find information‟ but

more about „which source is more accurate, more reliable and more relevant‟. All these skills

can be passed on to patrons as an information literacy skills strategy which librarians can

implement together with other social institutions.

Librarians should also keep in mind not to suffer from the Einstellung Effect. This is a

common human tendency to stop wanting to learn more the moment you have achieved the

best results thus far (Grodzins Lipow, 2002). It is essential for all librarians to keep

themselves up to date with current trends in information behaviour and also be able to deduct

what the patron‟s needs are. This means, having a life-long learning approach and the

motivation to search for new information sources and asses their quality for the benefit of the

library clients.

10

References

Barbara J. Ford, (1986). Reference beyond (and without) the Reference Desk. College &

Research Libraries (47), 493.

Fields, E. (2010). A unique twitter use for reference services. Library HI Tech News, (6/7),

14.

Frantz, P., & Tucker-Raymond, C. (2011). Integrating text messaging into reference service.

Library HI Tech News, (5), 8.

Grodzins Lipow, Anne (2002). The Virtual Reference Librarian‟s Handbook. Neal-Schuman

Publishers, Inc.

Jenkins, H. (2014). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for

the 21st century. Retrieved January, 03, 2014, from

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/free_download/9780262513623_Confron

ting_the_Challenges.pdf

Levy, P. (1999). Collective intelligence:Mankind's emergingworld in cyberspace (R.

Bononno Trans.). Cambridge: Perseus Books.

Nicol, E. C., & Crook, L. (2013). Now it's necessary: Virtual reference services at

washington state university, pullman. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(2),

161-168. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ejournals.um.edu.mt/10.1016/j.acalib.2012.09.017

O'Reilly, T. (2014). What is web 2.0? design patterns and business models for the next

generation of software. Retrieved January, 02, 2014, from

http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

11

Reference, User Services Association (RUSA) (2008). Definitions of Reference. Retrieved

January, 02, 2014, from

http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/definitionsreference

Sonntag, Gabriela, & Palsson, Felicia (2007). No Longer the Sacred Cow — No Longer a

Desk: Transforming Reference Service to Meet 21st Century User Needs. Library

Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Paper 111.

Stuart, D. (2010). What are libraries doing on twitter? Online, 34(1), 45-47.